Spice Up Your Life With a Taste of Japan

11/23/2013

I was going make melting snowman cupcakes, but wasn't that in the mood for sweets....
Then I came across this cute cheesy melting snowman on a Japanese website!
Try this chowder recipe too. It's very easy and yummy:)

Put onion, potato in a pot. Sprinkle flour. Add your favorite fillings on top. Pour in soy milk, water and oil. Add salt and pepper. Turn on heat and mix. Bring to a boil over medium-heat. Reduce heat and put a lid. Cook until vegetables get soft and soup becomes thick.

3. Cut a boiled egg in half and put on the melted cheese. Cut a piece of seaweed to make eyes, mouth and hands. Draw the cheeks and buttons with ketchup. (use a chopstick) Apply the face parts to the egg.

4. Cut carrot to make nose and a hat. Use dry pasta to connect the hat and egg if you need to.

11/06/2013

My husband is a huuuuuuge Oregon Ducks fan! He said there is a good game tomorrow, so I made "Go Ducks! bento" today:)
I made footballs with inari sushi. Please see Rilakkuma inari sushi bento for the recipe.

Ducks are made with shu-mai dumplings.
I wanted to use up tofu and chicken, so decided to make a lot of shu-mai with them and freeze for bento.
However, a problem is.... I don't have a steamer!! I need a big steamer to make a lot of shu-mai at one time.
I searched online and finally found a good solution....You just need.... CABBAGE! Yes, cabbage.
Please see below.

To make inari tofu skin, you need
5 long or 10 short Sushi age (Google it, and you will see the pictures)
2tbs Soy sauce
2tbs Mirin
2tbs Sugar
1 1/2 water

1. Roll a chopstick over sushi age. This helps to open age easily and stuff rice inside.
Cut age in half if you use longer ones.
2. Boil water and blanch sushi age (about 2mins)
3. Rinse with cold water too cool, Squeeze the excess water out
4. Place the age and all the ingredients in a pot and put a otoshibuta. (see otoshibuta)
5. Cook over low-medium heat until only a little liquid left.
6. Cool and squeeze the excess liquid out.

I don't eat much meat for health reasons and I kinda forced my husband to do the same thing when we started living together. However, of course, it wasn't a good idea. He LOVES meat.
Now I try to choose organic, no added growth hormones natural meat as much as possible.
Also, I heard that daikon radish contains an enzyme that helps you digest meat. So I've started cooking daikon radish very often, especially sun-dried ones! They have much more flavors and nutrients.
I especially like EDEN's radish.

"EDEN Dried Daikon Radish is naturally made and sun dried in the ancient, traditional manner without the use of chemicals, artificial colorings or artificial drying techniques. Most commercial shredded daikon in Japan today is bleached to a white color. Traditionally processed EDEN Dried Daikon is a natural light cream to tan color."http://www.edenfoods.com/store/product_details.php?products_id=110100Spicy daikon radish1pk Eden's daikon radish6tbs Sake2tbs Soy Sauce (I use EDEN's tamari)2tsp Go chu jang1tbs Sesame oilGrated garlic to tasteMarinate all the ingredients and saute until mixed.To make Sally and Jack, make 2 rice balls.Unroll a imitation crab stick and separate red and white part.Cut the red part to make Sally's hair. Cut the white part with a straw to make her eyes.

Make face parts with nori seaweed. It's easier to make with shredded seaweed if you have.Color Sally's lips with ketchup:)